Can't get sys_id_show() to work

[jas]

I need to switch between 2 or more A5V9 applications from a button within each application.

Example: I'm working in an open A5V9 application whose 'window name' is "2008-2009" and I push a button that has the folowing code:


vEnum = containsi(sys_id_enum(),"2009-2010")
ui_msg_box("",""+vEnum)
if vEnum = .T. then
sys_id_show("2009-2010")
Else
sys_open("C:\HWDATA\2009-2010\hwdata.adb")
End if

It's my understanding that if the application whose 'window' name is "2009-2010" is in the enumerated list that using sys_id_show("2009-2010") would make the "2009-2010" application the active window, otherwise sys_open("C:\HWDATA\2009-2010\hwdata.adb") would open the application (this part does work).

Attached are 2 screen shots, the first shows a message box that indicates that the "2009-2010" window IS in the enumerated list, but the second screen shot shows an error that the window wasn't found.

Am I mistaken about how sys_id_show() works? Or is the code wrong?

In either case, I would really appreciate someone pointing me in the right direction as far as accomplishing what I need to do.
Thanks
JAS

[MikeC]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

Sys_id_show() does not work in v8 either. Does not even show an error. I will look for an alternative....might be tomorrow before I find one unless I get lucky! :)


EDIT: How about SYS_FOCUS_PUT().

Sys_id_Show() seems to work for programs in the tray only. So used like the show and hide of the control panel....and the sys_focus_put() would be analogous to .activate().

[ChrisHawkes]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

Hi James

In conjunction with my Useful Functions here this piece of code works perfectly and I've been using it for years.

[FONT=Courier New]IF file.exists("C:\WINDOWS\system32\calc.exe") = .T. THEN
 SELECT
  CASE is_window_open("calculator") = .T.
   sys_id_restore("calculator")
   sys_focus_put("calculator")
  CASE is_window_open("calculator") = .F.
   sys_open("C:\WINDOWS\system32\calc.exe")
 END SELECT
END IF[/FONT]

You will need to modify the sys_open() and window name, but should work for you.

Also, you may need to rethink how you call the database, I haven't tried to run the database .adb name directly, but I suspect that it should be a shortcut link instead.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

I'm not sure you can run multiple databases in a single Alpha Five session.

Have you considered using A5.Load() to close the current database and then open a new one?

[jas]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

Chris:

Thanks for your help.

When I tried your code I got a
"CASE is_window_open("calculator")" Function not recognized error.

so I changed the code as follows:

vEnum  =containsi(sys_id_enum(),"calculator")

IF file.exists("C:\WINDOWS\system32\calc.exe") = .T. THEN
 SELECT
  CASE vEnum = .T.
   sys_id_restore("calculator")
   sys_focus_put("calculator")
  CASE vEnum = .F.
   sys_open("C:\WINDOWS\system32\calc.exe")
 END SELECT
END IF

And it worked exactly the way I would like my applications to work.
However, when I changed the code to use my info:

vEnum  = containsi(sys_id_enum(),"2009-2010")

IF file.exists("C:\HWDATA\2009-2010\hwdata.adb") = .T. THEN
 SELECT
  CASE vEnum = .T.
   sys_id_restore("2009-2010")
   sys_focus_put("2009-2010")
  CASE vEnum = .F.
   sys_open("C:\HWDATA\2009-2010\hwdata.adb")
 END SELECT
END IF

I get exactly the same error as before. It appears it is not recognizing the window name of my application. Yet whwn I do ?sys_id_enum() in the interactive window that is the name that shows up, and when I run ?containsi(sys_id_enum(),"2009-2010") I get a TRUE answer back.

I just don't get it!!

[MikeC]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

James,
How do you get a folder's window title to be just called 2009-2010 ? Are you sure of that window title? Maybe it is C:\HWDATA\2009-2010?? or similar.

BTW the containsi function only tells you that the string contains the word(s) you tell it to look for....not that it is a correct title or whathaveyou.

[jas]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

Tom:

I'm not sure you can run multiple databases in a single Alpha Five session.

I'm not running a single Alpha Five session. The client is a school that does purchase orders for each school year. Sometimes PO's are made for the next school year during the current school year and the client wants a permanent history for each school year. So, I set up a single button click that creates a new school year period when needed by copying the current application folder(ex: c:\hwdata\2008-2009\) to a newly created folder (ex:c:\hwdata\2009-2010\) then closes the current application(2008-2009), opens the new application(2009-2010) and empties the PO header and lineitem tables. The client now has a fresh PO application for the new school year and still retains the current school year intact. I also set up a 3rd start-up mini application that is used to allow the client to choose which school year application to open after double clicking a shortcut on the desktop.

Lets say the client opens the 2008-2009 application and enters several PO's and then receives a PO for the 2009-2010 school year. There is now a button on the Main Menu that will open a second AlphaFive session by opening the 2009-2010 application. Both applications are now open. What I want to achieve is to be able to switch from one to the other with a single button click from within either application. Actually that's what the client wants to achieve. I've suggested that she just use the taskbar to switch from one to the other but she would prefer a button from within the application.

The code Chris suggests opens the Windows Calculator if it is not already open, and if it is open the code switches or gives focus to the Windows Calculator.

That is basically what I want to achieve with the Alpha Five applications but sadly it is beginning to appear to be a no-go!

Thanks for your input.
JAS

[MikeC]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

James,
If I am understanding you correctly, it sure seems to work for me using a small runtime application I have called "Interchange" and using the interactive window of the development version of Alpha. I used the following and if it is open it brings it up...if it is closed it starts it.....The main window is called "Amherst Marine".

vEnum  = containsi(sys_id_enum(),"Amherst Marine")

 SELECT
  CASE vEnum = .T.
   sys_id_restore("Amherst Marine")
   sys_focus_put("Amherst Marine")
  CASE vEnum = .F.
   sys_open("C:\Documents and Settings\Mike\My Documents\Interchange\_Interchange.adb")
 END SELECT

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

James, I appreciate the further explanation. Can't help you. In similar cases here I've simply created new tables for the next year, or sometimes I add a date or year field to table structures. Switching between years is a simple matter of either opening a different table (in the first case) or running a query against a single master table (in the second). -- tom

[ChrisHawkes]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

Hi James

The reason that it is not working, is that the window name used in the sys_id_restore() and sys_focus_put() is not "2009-2010". The window name only 'contains' this phrase. You will have to work out what the window name really is.

[jas]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

Chris:

I'm confused, the description in the Alpha Five Help File for SYS_ID_ENUM() is as follows:

SYS_ID_ENUM() creates a CR-LF delimited character string that lists the windows currently available on your system.

I took that to mean that the character strings in the list were the actual window titles. When I run ?SYS_ID_ENUM() in the interactive window I get a crlf() delimited list, a portion of which is shown below:

?sys_id_enum()
= LogMeIn
TF_FloatingLangBar_WndTitle
CiceroUIWndFrame
SysFader
[COLOR="Blue"]Calculator[/COLOR]
Alpha Five - [Code Editor]
[COLOR="Red"]2009-2010  [/COLOR]
DDE Server Window
DDE Server Window
LogMeInClipSpy
LogMeIn RC Notification Sink
Brownie (Installation report)
MCI command handling window
MCI command handling window
HiddenFaxWindow
NVSVCPMMWindowClass
Uniblue RegistryBooster 2
Connections Tray
Uniblue SpyEraser
Power Meter
UPnP Notification Monitor
MS_WebcheckMonitor
Brother HL-2170W series on BRW00234ECDD0CD
Program Manager

I wasn't using containsi() to determine the window name. It was just a convenient method to verify that it was there since I had already run sys_id_enum() to (I thought) determine the actual window name as shown above.

If 2009-2010 (highlighted in red) is not the actual window name for the open Alpha Five application but Calculator (highlighted in blue) is the actual window name for Calculator, then how would I go about determining the actual window name for 2009-2010??

JAS

[ChrisHawkes]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

All I can say is that I can get it to work here with no problems. I've tested it in v6, v7, & v8. I don't have v9, so I suppose it's possible there's a bug, but I seriously doubt it. Don't know what else to suggest.

[martinwcole]

Re: Can't get sys_id_show() to work

unless there is some specific reason you cannot have separate tables for each year range, I would take Tom's advice